Conventional current interrupters comprise one or more serially connected vacuum bottles. Each vacuum bottle houses a pair of contacts that are separated or contacted in order to open or close the circuit. These contacts in the vacuum bottles are opened and closed by a bi-stable mechanism located at one end of the current interrupter.
For conventional current interrupters, the vacuum bottles and bi-stable mechanism are contained within a single housing filled with a pressurized gas. The gas isolates the vacuum bottles from the environment, for example, to protect from moisture, which is a recognized problem for vacuum bottles. However, as the bi-stable mechanism is operated with a rotary shaft that extends through the housing, it can be difficult to effectively seal this portion of the housing.
Accordingly, a need exists for a vacuum interrupter with an improved housing for isolating the vacuum bottles from the environment.